Narrative:

I was PIC of a part 135 scheduled flight hauling cargo plus 1 passenger. I had loaded the aircraft with cargo at our cargo hangar then taxied over to our main terminal to pick up the passenger. While I was in the terminal another cessna 207 pulled up and parked behind me facing the opposite direction (I was facing east). I attempted to file a defense VFR flight plan but the phone was busy (I tried 5 times in a period of 15 mins). Then I escorted my passenger to the aircraft and helped her get buckled in. While I was shutting her door and checking the cargo door and nose baggage for security, a twin otter pulled up beside both C207's and parked facing east. I proceeded to the pilot's side of the aircraft and briefed my passenger before climbing in. The aircraft was started and a flight plan filed over the radio. I taxied approximately 10-30 ft when there was a loud bang and the propeller came to a complete stop, I shut down the aircraft and helped my passenger to evacuate/evacuation the aircraft. When I opened my door I saw what I had hit. It was a fish container used to transport fish by air, it is approximately 3 ft wide by 4 ft long and 3 ft high and made from aluminum. I do not remember it being there when I parked the aircraft and I did not see it until I had hit it and opened my door. The cessna 207 that I was flying was loaded to approximately 3700 pounds. When the aircraft is loaded this way it is very hard if not impossible to see over the nose. To keep this type of incident from occurring again, the fish containers should not be placed so far out on the ramp. Also I have learned to check and check and check again for obstructions. The aircraft received damage to the propeller and engine and punctured the lower cowling.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PROP STRIKE TAXIED INTO CONTAINER.

Narrative: I WAS PIC OF A PART 135 SCHEDULED FLT HAULING CARGO PLUS 1 PAX. I HAD LOADED THE ACFT WITH CARGO AT OUR CARGO HANGAR THEN TAXIED OVER TO OUR MAIN TERMINAL TO PICK UP THE PAX. WHILE I WAS IN THE TERMINAL ANOTHER CESSNA 207 PULLED UP AND PARKED BEHIND ME FACING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION (I WAS FACING E). I ATTEMPTED TO FILE A DEFENSE VFR FLT PLAN BUT THE PHONE WAS BUSY (I TRIED 5 TIMES IN A PERIOD OF 15 MINS). THEN I ESCORTED MY PAX TO THE ACFT AND HELPED HER GET BUCKLED IN. WHILE I WAS SHUTTING HER DOOR AND CHKING THE CARGO DOOR AND NOSE BAGGAGE FOR SECURITY, A TWIN OTTER PULLED UP BESIDE BOTH C207'S AND PARKED FACING E. I PROCEEDED TO THE PLT'S SIDE OF THE ACFT AND BRIEFED MY PAX BEFORE CLBING IN. THE ACFT WAS STARTED AND A FLT PLAN FILED OVER THE RADIO. I TAXIED APPROX 10-30 FT WHEN THERE WAS A LOUD BANG AND THE PROP CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP, I SHUT DOWN THE ACFT AND HELPED MY PAX TO EVAC THE ACFT. WHEN I OPENED MY DOOR I SAW WHAT I HAD HIT. IT WAS A FISH CONTAINER USED TO TRANSPORT FISH BY AIR, IT IS APPROX 3 FT WIDE BY 4 FT LONG AND 3 FT HIGH AND MADE FROM ALUMINUM. I DO NOT REMEMBER IT BEING THERE WHEN I PARKED THE ACFT AND I DID NOT SEE IT UNTIL I HAD HIT IT AND OPENED MY DOOR. THE CESSNA 207 THAT I WAS FLYING WAS LOADED TO APPROX 3700 LBS. WHEN THE ACFT IS LOADED THIS WAY IT IS VERY HARD IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE OVER THE NOSE. TO KEEP THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT FROM OCCURRING AGAIN, THE FISH CONTAINERS SHOULD NOT BE PLACED SO FAR OUT ON THE RAMP. ALSO I HAVE LEARNED TO CHK AND CHK AND CHK AGAIN FOR OBSTRUCTIONS. THE ACFT RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE PROP AND ENG AND PUNCTURED THE LOWER COWLING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.